Review: Max Factor Ruby Tuesday

Max Factor's Ruby Tuesday is a shade I wouldn't have bought of my own volition, but as I won it from a  pack of Special K cereal bars (!) I thought it was worth trying out - after all, it was a free lipstick!

I don't own many Max Factor lippies and I'm not sure why really as I was quite impressed by this one.  The packaging is fairly robust for a drugstore brand and I liked the added touch of making the bottom of the tube the same colour as the lippy within it - this makes it far easier when it comes to finding the one you are after in a  morning!

The colour in the tube is a fairly neutral red, which perhaps leans a little blue-toned.  It reminds me a little of Mac's Russian Red.   When swatched, it looks slightly pink in tone and I could see this suiting a wide range of skintones from fair to dark.  

It glides onto my lips easily and is opaque with one swipe and it felt very smooth and silky, not at all drying and had a slight sheen finish.  I didn't experience any bleeding when wearing this and found it to wear for around four hours before the fading became noticeable.

Verdict

I was previously unfamiliar with Max Factor's lipsticks and this one impressed me greatly.  If I didn't know, I would think it was from a higher end brand due to its opaque, long-lasting colour.  I will certainly be taking a closer look at the Max Factor lipsticks from now on!

4/5 

 

Price - £7.99

Where to Buy - Boots, Superdrug, large supermarkets

What makeup item do you have far too much of?

If you are a beauty addict, there is bound to be one type of product that you are inexplicably drawn to and have far more of than any other product.  For me, this is lipstick and gloss!

I should probably put up one of my own pictures of my current stash but I currently have lippies everywhere, hiding in bags, down the sides of the sofa, in pockets you name it, I am never more than 5 foot away from a lip product!

I think the reason why I am so drawn to lip products is that they are so easy to apply, require next to no effort and they can transform a look in an instant.  I almost never go anywhere without wearing a lipstick or gloss!

What beauty product are you constantly drawn to? 

Review: Elemis Absolute Eye Serum

Apologies for the dark photos - struggling with the light this week!

As pretty much a daily wearer of eye make-up, I have recently become very aware of the essential need for a good eye cream.  I’ve always enjoyed using Elemis spa products for a bit of luxury and I adore their Lime and Ginger Scrub, so when I was looking for a new eye treatment and saw Timetospa had 20% off all Elemis products, I knew it was a sign I should try it!

Elemis Absolute Eye Serum is an anti-aging concentrated treatment which aims to minimise the ravages of time and dark circles around the eye area.  Herbal actives of Rosewood, Osmanthus, soothing Comfrey, Lavender and Chamomile help to gently preserve, lift and refine the eye tissue.  I am a relative newcomer to serums and I initially wasn’t sure exactly how to use this. It states that the serum can be used underneath their Pro-Collagen Eye Renewal, and therefore I assume that it would be suitable for use under other light daily eye creams.

The packaging of the serum is typical Elemis – sleek and professional, indicating that the contents will pack a fairly hefty punch!  When opened, the serum comes with a pipette dropper for application around the outer eye area.  Elemis recommend a couple of drops for each eye.  I tend to dot it under and around the eye, patting it in with my ring finger, and it soaks in quickly, without leaving a greasy residue.  It is almost colourless on the skin, but looks a light brown in the dropper and I would say it has a similar consistency to water.  Despite its small size,  if you are only using a few drops daily, it will last a long time and I would probably recommend not using any more than this as it may be a little too rich and concentrated for the delicate eye area.

I used this on its own at night before bed, having used the Liz Earle Daily Eye Repair in the morning.  I am pleased to report that my eye area has been well-hydrated since I started using this serum and I even think my dark circles may have diminished a little!  In terms of fine lines, I don’t really have many at the moment (just an ever developing stubborn wrinkle on my forehead!) so I’m not really the best person to make a judgement on this aspect of the product.

Verdict

Elemis products are always guaranteed to be of high quality and although pricy, usually deliver results. A serum may be something you are interested in adding to your skincare routine if you are starting to use anti-aging products, as they generally provide targeted skincare that is often more potent and better at addressing specific skin concerns than regular creams.  I think I am going to investigate The Elemis Pro-Collagen Eye Renewal next!

4/5

Price- £26.60

Where to Buy – Timetospa, Debenhams, John Lewis,  Feel Unique, Amazon 

Review: Daniel Sandler Watercolour Blush in Flush

I had been hearing a lot of raves about Daniel Sandler’s Watercolour blush recently, so when I was lucky enough to win a bottle of it in ‘Flush’ from the lovely Jen at A Beauty Junkie in London, I was very excited!

The major difference that you will notice with the Watercolour blushes is that it comes in a small bottle rather than the traditional compact for a cream or powder blush.  In that respect, I find it very like the Nars Illuminator products in that  you can dispense a little onto the back of your hand or fingertip, before blending in.

The bottle, although small, will last for ages as you only require the tiniest amount for each cheek.  You have to be very careful when tipping it out though as it can be quite runny and you also need to remember to shake it before dispensing as the liquid within can separate a little.

The colour when dispensed is very pigmented, as you can see from the swatch.  This was only the tiniest amount too!  When blended however, it gives a gorgeous natural flushed look, which I can imagine would be very buildable if you wanted to create a more obvious, brighter look.

Daniel Sandler recommends using the accompanying Watercolour Brush to apply and blend the product, however I have been using my fingers to apply and it blends very easily, so I guess it is a personal preference whether you prefer to apply face and cheek products with your fingers or a brush.

Lasting time was at least 6 hours on my oily cheeks, and it left a slight sheen, which I would imagine is due to the silicone content.   Those of you with normal or dry skin may find that it lasts for longer.

Verdict

I think one of the main selling points of this product is the unique formulation, along with the fact that it looks so darn cute in the bottle!  The colour is very buildable, so I could see it suiting a variety of skintones and I love how natural it looks on the skin too.  I think this is going to be one of my staples for a fresh Spring look.

4/5

Price - £12.50

Where to Buy – Very, Feel Unique, Escentual

March Favourites

This will be a quick post this month as I haven't really been using many new products, although I have been using a lot of old ones up.  Plus I am still feeling the after effects of a long day with lots of wine at a friend's wedding yesterday!  Thank goodness it is a short week this week - I can't wait for a four-day weekend!

Estee Lauder Pure Colour in Crystal Baby - review here

This has been my go-to shade for those days when I just can't think if what lipstick to wear.  It imparts only a bare minimum of colour but helps to give a more groomed appearance.  

OPI Holland Collection, Kiss Me on My Tulips - review here

I liked OPI's Holland collection and I wore this plum / fuchsia hybrid quite a few times over the past month.  The quality of OPI polishes is, as always, superb and I love the mini bottles as I never finish a full one.  

Daniel Sandler Watercolour Blush in Flush

A fab blusher which gives a gorgeous, soft pink dewy look.  This was my first watercolour blush and I am intrigued to try some of the others.  A review and swatches of this will be coming up later this week. 

The Body Shop Chocomania Body Scrub - review here

Despite the fact that this scrub can cause a right old mess if you are not careful, I love this as it is sufficiently 'scrubby' whilst feeling very moisturising and the smell is amazing.  It is a love it or hate it scent though so I would recommend having a sniff of it before purchasing.  I think this is limited edition but itshould be available in stores until June.

Charles Worthington Full Volume Shampoo and Conditioner - review here

A great shampoo and conditioner that when used daily give sufficient volume to the hair, without weighing it down. They have not replaced my Tigi Dumb Blonde but I am very impressed with their performance, especially for the price.

What have been your favourites this month?